My second purchase from Samco was a post war Walther P38. The pistol was $349 for a excellent condition piece. I noticed they charged my card $426. I waited til I received my pistol and invoice to see what was what. The gun is in great shape. They charged me $75 for insurance and shipping. I think that's somewhat of a ripoff being I live in Va . I can't wait til tomorow to call and see what they say. I think this could be my last purchase from them unless they refund about $50.
Not Happy with Samco Global Arms Inc
- Thread starter Fox84
- Start date
ScottRiqui
New member
Do C&R pistols have to be shipped with any particular level of service (overnight, next-day, express, etc)?
An 03 FFL is of no effect when it comes to shipping handguns. It's like no license at all...whether you're on the shipping, or receiving end of the gun.
Could have asked Samco if they would have shipped USPS to your local FFL, might have saved you a few bucks- but then you'd have to pay the transfer. USPS is legal, ground included, FFL to FFL.
Law does not require dealers to overnight handguns- but Fedex (the only carrier that will ship handguns other than USPS) requires overnight to keep their employees from ripping off shipments...
Depending on the distance shipped (and you can go to Fedex rate calculator), $75 may not be at all unreasonable for overnight.
Could have asked Samco if they would have shipped USPS to your local FFL, might have saved you a few bucks- but then you'd have to pay the transfer. USPS is legal, ground included, FFL to FFL.
Law does not require dealers to overnight handguns- but Fedex (the only carrier that will ship handguns other than USPS) requires overnight to keep their employees from ripping off shipments...
Depending on the distance shipped (and you can go to Fedex rate calculator), $75 may not be at all unreasonable for overnight.
Not sure what tobnpr is referring to, that is exactly what an 03 license is for. I am assuming the pistol is over 50 years old and the purchaser has an 03 license. If that is the case it is perfectly legal to ship directly to the purchaser. I have received several from UPS, USPS, and FedEx. It is true that some dealers (I've never purchased anything from Samco) will not honor it but that is their policy, not the law. But yes, UPS overnight is expensive, just call them and ask. I have avoided bidding on some guns because the seller would only ship UPS and the added expense just made the gun too expensive.
kilimanjaro
New member
Haven't seen a nice P38 for under $550 here for two years. Add the sales tax, it's $625 out the door. I'd consider it the cost of doing business.
Cheapshooter
New member
Nonsense, other than a couple bought in person, out of state at the Knob Creek Machinegun Shoot, my dozen or so C&R handguns were ordered on line, or by phone, and shipped directly to my 03 C&R FFL listed home address. As mentioned in another post, that's what a C&R FFL is for. To be able to have C&R firearms shipped directly to you.
More nonsense, they all came UPS. As did all my C&R rifles.
Cheapshooter
New member
I just checked my records to see for sure. Unless things have changed in two years, shipping on my last C&R handgun was $17. Coincidentally,it was a Walther P1 (post WWII P38) from AIM for $319.95 + $10 hand pick fee + $17.37 shipping for a total cost to me of $347.52.
Like I said, things may have changed, that was 2/24/2011.
Like I said, things may have changed, that was 2/24/2011.
Cheapshooter
New member
Not an expert, but I think there were some aluminum frame P38 post war pistols as well. The markings were dependant on who issued it.
From this TFL thread last year. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5085745
From this TFL thread last year. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5085745
There are some dealers who insist on next day air especially for hand guns.$75 for UPS next day is about right.
At least you did not have to wait too long. My biggest complaint about SAMCO, is it takes close to 2 weeks to get anything from them. Even before the panic.
Having said that, anything I have ever ordered from SAMCO has been of better quality than described in their advertising. I will continue to order from them.
At least you did not have to wait too long. My biggest complaint about SAMCO, is it takes close to 2 weeks to get anything from them. Even before the panic.
Having said that, anything I have ever ordered from SAMCO has been of better quality than described in their advertising. I will continue to order from them.
If a handgun is shipped via UPS or FEDEX, both companies require it to be shipped overnight. I assume that's because they want it in their possession as short a time as possible. Perhaps security for overnight packages is tighter as well, I'm not sure.
USPS does not require overnight delivery on handguns shipped by a dealer, but the talk around the watercooler is that it's like pulling teeth to get a payout on an insurance claim from them.
USPS won't accept a handgun from a non-dealer for shipping and, in the eyes of the law, an 03 FFL is a non-dealer. UPS and FEDEX may, but the overnight requirement on their part still exists.
As far as the $70 goes, that seems about right for UPS. It stings that "overnight" didn't mean from the time that you placed your order.
USPS does not require overnight delivery on handguns shipped by a dealer, but the talk around the watercooler is that it's like pulling teeth to get a payout on an insurance claim from them.
USPS won't accept a handgun from a non-dealer for shipping and, in the eyes of the law, an 03 FFL is a non-dealer. UPS and FEDEX may, but the overnight requirement on their part still exists.
As far as the $70 goes, that seems about right for UPS. It stings that "overnight" didn't mean from the time that you placed your order.
I have received hand guns from at least 4 different places over the last year using my c&r all were under $30 for shipping
IIRC they have to ship by air to c&r licence holders
but if shipping wasn't listed I always asked how much it was first
did you check any specific box for how you wanted it shipped?
IIRC they have to ship by air to c&r licence holders
but if shipping wasn't listed I always asked how much it was first
did you check any specific box for how you wanted it shipped?
madcratebuilder
New member
Good post with the facts.
It's the carriers (UPS/FEDEX) that demand overnight on hand guns and it's because of theft problems in the past.
Cheapest way to ship a handgun is USPS but you need a 01FFL and it's a long process to deal with a insurance claim.
Your 03 C&R just allows you to receive a 50+ year old hand gun directly from the carrier, no back ground check. Nothing to do with shipping costs.
SteveBonning
New member
There are 2 issues here; first, the invoice date and shipping date are 2 different things, so that cannot be used to reflect whether or not overnight shipping was used. Invoice date was when you were charged for the puchase; shipping date is self-explanatory. Samco is known (at least to me) to take a while to ship.
Charges for online purchases are generally Shipping and HANDLING, or costs associated with pulling the item from stock, packaging, etc. It's not just the actual costs of shipping, as there are always some costs associated with getting it packed and shipped.
I've done business with Samco; I always verify total costs over the phone before I confirm the sale. Aside from the time to get the guns/ammo to my door, I have no complaints.
Charges for online purchases are generally Shipping and HANDLING, or costs associated with pulling the item from stock, packaging, etc. It's not just the actual costs of shipping, as there are always some costs associated with getting it packed and shipped.
I've done business with Samco; I always verify total costs over the phone before I confirm the sale. Aside from the time to get the guns/ammo to my door, I have no complaints.
Cheapshooter
New member
The overnight requiremsnt must be a recent thing. In the last year or so. I don't remember overnight shipping, or a charge over $15-$20 for any C&R purchase. Long gun or handgun. It has been a couple years since my last purchase though.
dogtown tom
New member
Not a ripoff, that's probably the exact cost of Next Day/Overnight service.
Nothing in Federal law requires it, but both UPS & FedEx policies do. C&R holders may not mail or receive by mail any firearm other than a rifle or shotgun.
UPS clearly DOES ship handguns, says so on their website.
I can print out a UPS label tonight and not hand the box to UPS until Wednesday. It would arrive to you on Thursday. The delay was not the fault of UPS.
Still wrong
The requirement for handguns to go UPS Next Day or FedEx Overnight is the policy of those companies, not Federal law. Violate those policies and you are not covered for loss, damage or theft. So, ANY firearm can LEGALLY be shipped "Ground", but shipping a handgun via Ground violates the UPS/FedEx terms of service.
It's been a requirement for at least six years.